The Journal provides minute-by-minute analysis as the fourth-seeded Baltimore Ravens beat the top-seeded Denver Broncos 38-35 in double overtime to gain a berth in next week’s AFC Championship Game. The Daily Fix’s Jeremy Gordon offers commentary on the game and the CBS telecast.

In a few hours, we might be staring at the end of Ray Lewis’s NFL career. One shouldn’t assume such conclusions, of course, not at the part of the playoffs when every team left has proved themselves worthy of being here, and when momentum can be swiftly upended by a bad bobble or two. But whatever psychic advantage Lewis might be able to shout his teammates into enjoying should be easily countermanded by the accrued goodwill of Peyton Manning’s improbable comeback campaign, and how he guided Denver to the AFC’s top seed despite supposedly not having his full arm strength back. (Or, if you’re a fan of looking at these games through sensible statistics, rather than senseless narrative mumbo jumbo, you might note that the Broncos are riding a double-digit winning streak, and already ran roughshod over the Ravens less than a month ago.)

There isn’t much good to say about extremely cold temperatures, but anyone who spent their childhood winters learning how to triple-layer has the benefit of being able to handle just about anything if they’re lucky enough to move somewhere where the windows don’t freeze over on the inside. Manning doesn’t appear to enjoy that advantage but it’s important for Denver fans not to freak out too much about his wildly dramatic statistical dropoff when playing in sub-freezing weather. He’s only played one cold-weather game in the last six years, and there’s a big difference between playing on the road in Foxboro and playing in front of a welcoming Mile High home crowd. So the only thing to say about that is that we’ll see how it goes when the game begins, and not a moment sooner.

The Ravens receive the kickoff in the end zone, and start things off at their 20. Ray Rice is given the ball on the first play and grabs five yards; Joe Flacco follows with a first-down throw to Anquan Boldin.

An ambitious throw by Flacco over the middle to Boldin is broken up, but Baltimore fans can take the glass half full approach in that it was thrown right on the money. Ray Rice is wrapped up on third and short by Von Miller; Baltimore punts, and… wow, it’s returned by Trindon Holliday for 89 yards and Denver’s first score of the game. Whatever water in that half-full glass was just poured out the window.

On the kickoff, Jacoby Jones just did the exact opposite of of Holliday: He ran out of the end zone, but bobbled the ball almost immediately and had to fall down. Baltimore starts this one off at its own 6.

Bad Flacco already showing himself? Joe goes wide left to an open man, and a high, lofty toss on third and long is nearly picked off. Baltimore’s bailed out by a pass-interference call on Denver, which means they don’t have to risk Denver starting off their next drive already past midfield… for now.

f course, Flacco dumps a long bomb downfield to a streaking Torrey Smith for a 59-yard touchdown as soon as I said he’s looking bad, which is just about right for my predicative abilities this season. (Reminder that an inanimate Turkish coin is still beating me on season picks.)

So, this game. Manning’s second pass attempt of the game is deflected right into Baltimore cornerback Corey Graham’s hands, which he runs back 39 yards for Baltimore’s second score. That’s 21 points scored in the first five minutes of the game; by my math, we’re on pace for a final score of 168-84.

Manning can’t find his man on a bomb to the end zone — someone trips up someone, though it’s not clear who — but a Baltimore penalty a few plays after a first-down pass to Eric Decker gets Denver in scoring position.

Baltimore receiver Dennis Pitta almost gets in a little tiff with the Denver defender he beats on a 16-yard first down over the middle, but it’s more of a slap fight than anything. In related news, his last name is pronounced deliciously.

I want the “Current temperature vs. Feels like” model to be used for everything in my life. It’s 13 degrees out in Denver, but apparently it feels like 2. Yikes. The second quarter starts with what would’ve been a devastating downfield strike to Torrey Smith, but he can’t hold onto it. Baltimore punts, and the ball rolls within the Denver 10.

Manning can’t improve to 3-for-4 on third-down conversions, and the Ravens take over on their own 20 after Tandon Doss runs into his blocker and falls down on the return. Shades of Sanchez’s butt fumble, almost.

Apologies for misidentifying Ronnie Hillman for Moreno a few updates ago; these games sometimes move too quickly. Manning floats an almost identical pass to Moreno in the end zone as he did on his first touchdown strike of the game, and Denver is back ahead on the 14-yard score.

Manning zips a first down to a sliding Eric Decker, and all the knowhow about him bumming it in cold-weather games seems to be officially out of date. There’s plenty of time for things to go south, but he’s looked very good so far.

Commenter Bruce Richardson asserts that the Ravens should blitz Manning, but the Journal’s Kevin Clark pointed out last month that defenses have been much less successful doing that against him this season. Back in the game, Denver goes for it on 4th and 1 on the lip of field-goal territory and… appears to not get it? Or they do? The replays aren’t much help, but I guess it’s a first down as we head to the two-minute warning.

What would’ve been a first down to an open Demaryius Thomas clangs off his hands, and Manning can’t get anything going on third and 7. Matt Prayer’s attempt from 52 yards comes wrong off his foot, and it’s well short of the goal posts. Baltimore takes over on their own 42.

Well, that was fast. Flacco is almost sacked, but he somehow tosses a first down to Anquan Boldin; next, he finds Dennis Pitta on the side, followed by a strike downfield to Torrey Smith for a 32-yard touchdown.

In a highly embarrassing look, I just missed that Trindon Holliday 104-yard TD kickoff return — his second return score of the game — because the people I’m watching with waited too long to switch away from the wrestling videogame they were playing at the halftime. I’ll turn in my sports blogger card after the game. (Though from the look of the depleted stands, plenty of fans in attendance also missed it.) But yes, that just happened.

Flacco is sacked on third and long in Baltimore’s first possession of the half, but a Denver offsides calls it back. In their second attempt at conversion, Ray Rice runs outside to the right for a long first down, nearly getting to midfield.

It almost looks like Manning fumbles, but a facemask call on Terrell Suggs negates it. The commentators aren’t happy, with someone calling it “ticky tack.” (I remain pretty miserable at identifying voices, since a lot of the chatter blends together.)

After being pinned down near their own end zone to start the drive, the Ravens get a first down when Flacco finds Torrey Smith on 3rd and 4 for a short gain. He’s caught more than half of Flacco’s yards, I believe.

Icky close-ups of Ray Lewis’s bloodied, cut hand on the side. (shudders, shakes arms all over) Flacco scrambles to no success on third down, throwing out of bounds, and Denver will take over at its own 25 as Trindon Holliday fair-catches the punt.

Take the bad with the good: The Broncos are pushed to third and long, and Manning fumbles the ball after pump-faking his throw. It’s recovered by Baltimore, and they’ll take over well within Denver territory.

More than four hours later, we’re done. Baltimore came into the game as a double-digit underdog, but the Denver defense kept getting burned on the big play (Flacco had three deep bombs for touchdown passes). Manning was up and down: He completed 65% of his passes for three touchdowns but also threw two interceptions, the second of which put the Ravens in field-goal position to end the game. He was also quick to run off field lest too many photos be taken of his bummed out face. Baltimore advances to the AFC Championship Game to play the winner of New England-Houston, which means Ray Lewis will get another chance to keep shouting at post-game reporters — and that you can also switch to San Francisco-Green Bay, which is tied at 7-7 in the 1st quarter. Thanks for reading.

Comments (5 of 73)

reguardless of how crappy that game was called yeaterday One thing I know for sure Refs u can take the game from Peyton but u cant take Peyton from the game All ya did was was give him the extra motativation Hes about legacy and all say is look out NFL Peytons coming for those championships and HE WILL GET EM bank it and cash it their already written with Peyton Mannings name all over em

5:11 pm January 13, 2013

proud of peyton wrote:

it really sucks the way things went down yesterday in that game My heart goes out to Peyton But I AM a Peyton fan and the one thing I know is Peyton Is a man on a mission NOW MORE THAN EVER He WILL BRING THE CITY OF DENVER CHAMPIONSHIPS he didnt come for the money Im from Tn he dont need it hes about legacy LOOK OUT NFL u refs did nothing but help Peyton in the long run u can take the game from Peyton but u cant take Peyton from the game Next year is a new year and it belongs to Peyton Manning u can take that to the bank and cash it checks already written refs

3:46 pm January 13, 2013

bagonmyhead wrote:

i agree with "just wondering" something stinks in denver....bad, bad, bad calls by the refs changed the eb and flow of the game.....yes, something stinks in refsville.....that game was fixed!

8:11 am January 13, 2013

Gary J wrote:

"phil wrote :
I hope who ever wins between the patriots and texans, smash the ravens and send ray lewis into retirement the loser that he is!"

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